violin soloist in blue dress performs on stage with orchestra and conductor
The Thomas & Evon Cooper Competition

Cooper International Competition

Seohyun Kim, a 13-year-old violinist from Seoul, South Korea, was named the top prize winner of the 2022 Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition.
Photo credit: Yevhen Gulenko

Founded in 2010, the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition is dedicated to presenting an important international competitive opportunity to outstanding young musicians.

The “Cooper Competition” at Oberlin, sponsored by Thomas and Evon Cooper, alternates annually between piano and violin. Open to musicians between the ages of 13 and 18, the competition culminates in a final round where the top three competitors perform a full concerto with orchestra. Cash prizes total $40,000, including a $20,000 first prize.

Learn more about the Cooper Competition sponsors

Violin 2025

The 2025 Cooper International Competition for violinists will take place January 5 through 10. After the drawing for order on January 5, live rounds in Oberlin begin on Monday, January 6 and conclude with the Concerto Finals with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra on Friday, January 10. Each round open to the public and will be streamed live.

The application deadline is October 1, 2024. Learn more.

 

2022 Cooper finalists
2022 Cooper finalists Calvin Alexander, Seohyun Kim, and Sameer Agrawal (from left), with Thomas and Evon Cooper.
Photo by Yevhen Gulenko.

News and Updates

Finding the Joy with Seckou Keita

November 20, 2024

Nicknamed the “Hendrix of the kora,” Seckou Keita is today’s most influential and inspiring performer on the instrument, and is considered a leader of the newest generation of African traditional musicians, fusing traditional forms and instruments with those of other cultures.

Beyond the Writing Center: Abbie Patchen ’24

November 7, 2024

Abbie Patchen ’24 is a Juris Doctor (JD) candidate at the University of North Carolina School of Law. While at Oberlin, Abbie pursued a minor in Writing & Communication, and was involved with the Writing Associates program, where students assist their peers through writing advice and tutoring. Recently, her work was published within the scholarly publishing collaborative WAC Clearinghouse — work that began as an assignment for Teaching and Tutoring Writing Across the Disciplines, taught by Professor of Writing and Communication Laurie Hovell McMillin. Here, she reflects on how her Oberlin courses and professors shaped her approach to learning and writing.

Richard Miller Classical Voice Competition for High School Students returns in November

October 31, 2024

Oberlin Conservatory is proud to announce the return of the Richard Miller Classical Voice Competition for High School Students, a festival aimed at encouraging and supporting high school students in the pursuit of a career in classical vocal music. The festival is named in honor of Richard Miller, a member of the voice faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for more than 40 years.

Past Competitions

Media Galleries

2019 Cooper Violin Competition

Contact

General Information:

Anna Hoffmann
Program Administrator
direct: 440-775-8044
fax: 440-775-8942
ahoffman@oberlin.edu

Media:

Shelly Rasmussen
Publicity and Marketing Manager
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
440-775-5474
srasmuss@oberlin.edu

A Member of the Alink-Argerich Foundation since 2006.

About Oberlin Conservatory

Oberlin Conservatory of Music offers rigorous programs designed to prepare students for professional lives as performers, composers, scholars, and teachers. We welcome talented music students with demonstrated records of achievement to apply.


Warner Concert Hall.
Photo credit: Kevin Reeves